This 800 hour thing is just putting lipstick on a pig IMO. The regional airlines will just hire 800 hour pilots and add a couple sims to the beginning of the training process that fulfill the multicrew/Icing requirement on the books then enter the candidate into the normal training process a week later. No change and business as usual, just an 800 hour wonder instead of a 300 hour wonder. Remember back in the 90's you still needed 1500+- to even be looked at so we are still well below what it used to be.

Personally I still believe that the ATP minimum requirement would be the best way to go instead of all this eyewash with 800 plus this and that documented training. Anyone can write something into a training folder, but what has the kid really done professionally prior to getting that first jet job is what is important IMO. The ATP would show that better.